“Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.”

Our favorite Grimm and his merry band of Wesen certainly had their hands full with so many plot lines converging, it’s shocking they wrapped it all up in one episode. Oh wait, they didn’t. Let’s try to unravel everything that went on this week, shall we?

THE OPENER

Apparently Nick had some extra time on his hands and finally decided to explore the super-secret locked door in the basement of the abandoned warehouse where he and Adalind have been living. With all his Grimm-strength, you’d think it would be a piece of cake for him to get a rusty old door open but apparently not.

I had completely forgotten about the existence of this door. From what I recall it was mentioned once when they first moved in, in the fashion of, “oh hey, there’s a locked door down here, isn’t that interesting,” sort of way. If they hadn’t done their little “previously on Grimm...” flashbacks at the beginning of this episode, I wouldn’t have even remembered what they were talking about.

Turns out, I really didn’t need to remember because Nick only spent about five minutes banging on the lock (because that is the most effective way to open something) before being called back upstairs by Adalind and Trubel.

THE DREAM TEAM

Meisner, Trubel, and Juliette (I mean Eve) sure have been getting cozy the past couple weeks. This episode finds them trying to track down a mysterious man who, it appears, is related to a string of catastrophes that led to the murders of some high-profile Wesen. Eve, outfitted in a ridiculous pink wig this episode, is eager to help. The show creators are having fun revealing new powers of hers week after week. While interrogating some poor chap for intelligence on the man they’re looking for, she performed a creepy maneuver that sealed his mouth, eyes, and ears. It doesn’t seem like taking away one’s ability to speak would be the most effective method for getting them to talk, but it sure was scary.

THE CASE

Meanwhile, there’s some ram-headed Wesen wandering around performing occult rituals that involve killing homeless guys and then hanging them on crosses and covering their eyes with shards of mirrored glass. Each cross is engraved with an ancient rune symbolizing water, and wouldn’t you know it – the area has been experiencing a drought lately. But because this is Grimm, which happens to be a crime show, chances are good this isn’t just a misguided Wesen hoping for a little moisture for his crops.

Fortunately, the ancient Grimm texts have some info on these types of rituals and the team uncovers that there will be seven crucifixions before all is said and done if they don’t find the person who’s responsible. Adalind, who hasn’t had much of a role in the last few episodes, lends a hand in the form of her extensive Hexenbiest knowledge. As does Rosalee, who can speak and read ancient Gaelic, it turns out, and can therefore translate the Grimm texts. No big deal.

Making their jobs easier is the fact that these rituals have to be performed in locations that correlate to the Big Dipper (hence the title of this episode). Tracking down the locations leads them to discover that six of the seven sacrifices have already been made.

And because this can’t just be a random Wesen serial killer obsessed with the occult, the team also discovers the rituals are somehow connected to Black Claw. There’s a cult-like leader, named Donald Jones, holding special meetings rallying Wesen to unite and fight (against what was a little unclear). One of Donald’s followers has been performing these sacrifices to help Black Claw in their efforts, though how exactly this ancient ritual will be a benefit remains a mystery.

The Grimm team is able to stop the ram-headed follower while he was in the process of making the last sacrifice. They save the day... or do they? Ram-guy dies instead of his sacrifice, which may or may not have completed the ritual. It starts raining shortly thereafter, so chances are good that it was successful.

Basically, this episode just ended in one big question mark and a lot of dangling plotlines. I’m guessing we still have the rest of the season to watch the Black Claw/Hadrian’s Wall back-and-forth before it all comes to a head in the season finale.

Bonus musings from this episode:

“Am I doing this right?” Trubel holding a baby like it’s a two-headed alien was priceless.

Rosalee’s mysterious letter writer has upped his form of harassment to phone calls now, I see.

“My great-great-grandfather on my mother’s side was a big believer in rituals and sacrifices. Maybe that’s what got him burned at the stake.”

There’s always a bad guy named Lucien.

“They are sucking the Kool-Aid fountain dry.”

The recruitment techniques of Black Claw (the bad guys) and Hadrian’s Wall (the good guys) are disturbingly similar.